The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for surface treatment of wet fabric webs in a finishing machine.
At present, methods and apparatuses are known and used which, in order to carry out the surface treatment of dry fabrics, use one or more revolutionary rollers coated with a conventional abrasive tape.
Such a treatment method usually referred to as "fluffing", makes it possible for a treated fabric to be manufactured, from the surface of which some fibrous material has been partially removed. Consequently, the fabric displays a more or less marked surface fluff. In that way, a modification is accomplished in the treated fabric from both the visual and tactile viewpoints, which unfortunately causes, as a negative characteristic, a certain loss of strength of the fabric.
Furthermore, the use of the abrasive tape includes the drawback that it does not allow the surface treatment of wet fabrics to be carried out owing to the sudden degradation of the tape, which must be frequently replaced.
However, the need exists always for obtaining new "hand" and visual surface effects. For example, hand effects are required which are such as to soften the fabric while simultaneously preventing surface grind from being formed. Furthermore, visual effects are required which determine a fabric appearance which resembles a discoloration and/or ageing, as shown by an already used fabric.